Ditcher and terracer



May 11 1926.

O. H. ARNOLD. JR

DITCHER AND TERRACER riginal Filed Oct. 1'7, 1921 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 gJHHHI YNQENTQR: O.H.A3N' LD.,UR. I i% lJZ f ATTORNEY.

May 11 192 6 O. H. ARNOLD. JR

DITCHER AND TERRACER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 original Filed on. 17, -19

, fi. H min? ATTORNEY May 11 1 926, 1,584,591

0. H. ARNOLD. JR

DITCHER AND TERRACER Original Filed L 17. 1921\ 4 SheetsSheet 5 ENVENTOR;

UWARNOLDQJR.

ATTORNEY,

May 11 1926. 1,584,591

0. H. ARNOLD. JR

DITCHER AND TERRACER Original Filed Oct- 17, l 9 2; 4 Sheets-$heejt 4 a INvENToR:

4 fiaag i ATTORNEY.

O.H.f\RNOLD.,dR.

Patented May 11, 192d.

IT E D S T ATE S OLIVERH. ARNOLD, JR., F ATHENS, GEORGIA.

DITGI-IER. ANDTERRACER. 1

Application filedbctober 17;;192'1, Serial No... 508,072.. Renewed April-2, 1926..

The present invention relates to a machine for ditching and terracing, and aims to provide a novel and improved machine of that kind, comprising a novel construction for doing the work in a facile. practicaland efficient manner.

Another object of the invention isv the provision. of novel means to work in the soil for loosening and'elevating same in an efficient manner, including a soil elevating ,wheel to roll in the ditch, trench, or thelike, and a share or scraper cooperable with, the wheel for loosening the dirt and directing it into the wheel to be elevated thereby.

A further object. is theprovision of novel means for delivering the elevated dirt to one side of the ditch or trench, including a revolving table cooperable with the elevating wheel in a novelmanner.

A still further object is the provision of a novel running gear including a land wheel and means for adjusting said land wheel to different vertical positions with respect to the elevating wheel, and for maintaining said wheels vertical in their different relative positions, when the elevating wheel is travelling in a ditch or trench, or. the machine being operated on a hillside, or the like.

With. the foregoing and other objects in view, which, will be apparent as the description proceeds,the invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that'changes can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a plan view of the machine.

Fig. 2 is a rear view thereof.

Fig. 3is a transverse vertical section taken substantially on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1, portions being shown in elevation and others in section.

Fig. 4 isa longitudinal vertical section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1, showing portions in elevation and other portions in section.

The elevating wheel 7 is of large diameter so as to. be capable of travelling in a ditch or trench of the maximum depth for which the machine is suited, and it comprises a bull wheel for the machine. Said wheel has the rim 8 with an annular flange 9 at its outer edge extending toward the axis of the wheel. The wheel has spokes 10 adjacent to the flange 9 extending to the hub 10 which is mounted for rotation on a short transverse axle 12 having its outer end portion secured to the lower end of a vertical portion or leg-18 of the frame at the outer side of the wheel. 8, while the inner end portion of. said axle is secured to a longitudinal bar 14 of the frame extending across the wheel. at the inner side thereof. The wheel 8 has'blades 15 in the angle between the. rim 8 and flange 9 forming buckets'or pockets for elevating the dirt, said buckets being open at the inner side of the wheel and at those ends nearest the axle, while the rim 8 and flange 9 close the buckets at the periphery and outer side of-the wheel.

A scraper 16 is preferably secured to the upright portion 13 of the frame above the wheel 7 for scraping dirt from the rim 8' to the inner side of the wheel, should the wet or soft dirt clingqto the wheel.

Cooperable with the elevating wheel 7 is a share. or scraper blade 1'7 located at the inner side of the wheel adjacent to the bottom thereof. Said share or blade-is disposed obliquely so that in loosening the soil, it is deflected to one side into the wheel? to enter the buckets of said wheel. The'share 17' is secured to a. foot 18 in rear thereof which is secured to and depends from a longitudinal beam 19 extending across the inner side of the wheel below the axle and having its forward end engaging a pivot 20 carried by a hanger 21 of the frame, to pivotallyanchor said beam to the frame so as to trail from the hanger 21. Said hanger has a vertical series of apertures 22' to receive the pivot 20, for adjusting said beam to different vertical positions, in order to regulate the depth of cut made by the share 17.

The beam 19 and share 17 are raised and lowered through the medium of afoot lever 23 fulcrumed' between its ends, asat 24, to the bar 14: in front of? the axle 12, and having its rear terminal or arm connected to the beam 19 by means of links 2 5'. The forward terminal or arm of the lever 23 has a footpiece 26 against which the foot of the operator can he placed for depressing the forward arm of the lever, and raising the rear arm and beam 19, thereby lifting the share 17'. The operators seat 27' is mounted on the upper c-rownportion 28 of the frame which extends transversely over the wheel 7, and a catch 28 is carried by the frame in front of the lever 23 for engaging the foot piece 26 when same is depressed, to thereby hold the share 1"? in raised position above the surface on which the wheel 7 travels, so that the share is inoperative.

The beam 19 has a loop 30 at its rear end overlapping a depending guide bar 31 of the frame at the rear end of the bar 14, for guiding the beam for vertical swinging movement in a longitudinal vertical plane, and preventing the beam it) from springing sidewise.

A caster wheel 32 is disposed in front of the wheel 7 and share 17 to roll on the ground ahead of the wheel 7, and is of smaller diameter than the elevating wheel. The wheel 32 is mounted in the caster fork 33 which is swivelled, as at 3st, to the forwardly projecting portion 55 of the frame, for the turning movement of said wheel about a vertical axis, and permitting short turns of the machine to be made. he wheel 7 supports a good portion of the weight of the machine, and the wheel supports the forward portion of the machine. A scraper 36 is preferably carried by the fork above the wheel to scrape dirt from said wheel, should wet or sticky soil cling to the wheel 32.

The machine may be pulled by a tractor or draft animals. A tongue is connected to the portion 35 of the frame, and for hitching draft animals to the machine a doubletree 38 is mounted on the portion and singlet-recs 59 are connected to said doubletree, The animals can be hitched to the singletrees 39 to walk on the soil at the opposite sides of the ditch.

The dirt which is elevated by the wheel 7 is delivered therefrom by means of a horizontal rotary circular table to disposed above the axle 12 at the inner side of the wheel 7 and mounted for turning move ment on a vertical shaft stl having its upper end secured to the portion 28 of the frame and its lower end secured to the bar 1t. The table 4.0 projects within the wheel T from the inner side between the axle l2 and upper portion of said wheel 7 to receive the dirt which falls from the buckets of the elevating wheel which pass over the right hand portion of the table 40.

In order to prevent the dirt from falling from the buckets while being raised at the rear portion of the wheel '7, an arcuate closure plate a2 is disposed across the buckets of the elevating wheel at the rear thereof, and extends upwardly from the share 17 to a point slightly above the plane of the table 40, as seen in Fig. 4:. The plate 42 is supported by brackets d3 of the frame,

and the dirt from the share l passes into the buckets in front of the lower end of said plate. Said plate prevents the dirt from falling from the buckets at the inner side of the wheel, until the dirt has been raised above the table 4-0, when the dirt can slide from the inner ends of the blades l3.

4; deflector or chute -l-lis supported by the frame within the wheel 7 under the upper portion thereof to close the space between the table 40 and flange 9, so that the dirt which falls from the buckets deflected on to the table, and is prevented from falling between the edge of the table and outer side of the wheel '1'.

An arcuate dirt retaining wall -15 extends along the forward edge of the table all) to prevent the dirt from falling from said table while moving with the table from the wheel 7 to a point opposite to said wheel, and said wall is supported by brackets -11; carried by the frame from underneath the table 4:0.

lhe dirt is deflected or thrown from the table by means of a deflector 48 disposed above the table at that side of the shaft 41 opposite to the wheel 7, and the inner end portion of said deflector is secured to a bracket -l9 secured adjustably by means of a set screw 50 to the shaft -l1 above a cone l? with which the table a0 is provided at the center thereof, to prevent the dirt pilin;;;: up at the center of the table. The deflector d8 is positioned to deflect and throw the dirt from the edge of the table opposite to the wheel 7, the table a'O rotating in the direction of the arrow, as seen in Fig. 1, so that the dirt moves along the wall 45 and through the disposal outlet between the left hand end of the wall 45 and the deflector 48. By loosening the set screw 50, the deflector 4:8 can be adjusted angularly around the axis of the shaft 41 and table *lO, and such deflector may also be adjusted vertically to bear on or be spaced slightly above the table.

The table 40 is rotated from the wheel '7 by means of a bevel gear 51 secured to the under side of said table and meshing with a similar gear secured on the hub ll of the bull wheel.

A land wheel is provided to roll on the surface of the ground to the left of the wheel 7 and spaced suliiciently from the ditch or trench to enable the discharged dirt to pile up between the ditch and the wheel 53, as seen in Fig. 3. The wheel 5?, is assembled for rotation with a vertical member 5% at the inner side of said wheel, and raid member 5-t is connected with the frame of the machine for parallelogram motion to keep the wheels '7 and 53 in vertical posi tion when the wheel 53 is raised and lowered with respect to the wheel 7. The parallelogram motion connection includes a pair of lower bars or links 55 converging from the Hill frame to the lower end of the member 54, and pivoted to said member, as at 56, while the opposite ends of said bars are pivoted, as at 57,.to the opposite ends of the frame bar 14. An upper bar 58, substantially parallel with the plane of the bars 55, has its outer end pivoted to the upper end of the member 54, at 59, and its inner end pivoted to the upper portion 28 of the frame, as at 60. The bars and 58 permit the member 54 and wheel 53 to be raised and lowered with reference tothe wheel 7, whereby said wheels can roll on the soil or dirt in diflerent horizontal planes, such as when the wheel 7 is travelling in a ditch, or the machine is being used on a hillside. The wheel 53 is adjusted upwardly and downwardly to maintain the machine and wheels upright under the varying conditions. This adjustment is obtained by means of a transverse shaft 64 journaled for rotation on the portion 28 of the frame, and having a worm at its inner end meshing with a worm. sector 61 carried by the frame at the inner end of the port-ion 28 and having an outwardly extending arm 62 connected by links 63 with the member 54. The shaft 64 has a hand wheel 66 at its outer end at the right hand side of the frame and seat 27, in order that the operator can readily turn said wheel for swinging the arm 62 so as to raise or lower the wheel 53. In operating the machine, the operator, by turning the wheel 66, can raise and lower the wheel 53 to keep the wheel 7 vertical and to prevent the machine from leaning to one side or the other when ditching or terracing either on alevel or inclines.

In operation, the machine is run back and forth along the ditch or trench, first on one side and then on the other in reversed positions. The share 17 digs up the dirt at one side of the wheel 7 and directs it into the lower portion of said wheel. The share also shaves the corresponding wall of the ditch, as seen in Fig. 3, and on the return trip in the opposite direction does the same thing along the opposite wall, so that the walls or sides of the ditch are out clean and vertical. The dirt which is deflected into the wheel is raised at the rear thereof by the rolling motion of the wheel on the ground, and the dirt falls from the blades 15 when they move above the chute or deflector 43, so that the dirt is transferred to the table 40. Said table rotates with the wheel 7, and carries the dirt along the wall 45, and the deflector 4L8 delivers the dirt from the edge of the table opposite to the wheel 7. The dirt will pile up in even ridges on opposite sides of the ditch, giving an orderly appearance. The machine being run back and forth in opposite directions will gradually make the ditch deeper and deeper, and the wheel 53 is adjusted to keep the wheel 7 vertical as it goes down deeper and deeper in increasing the depth of the ditch. Also, as seen in Fig. 2, the share 18 is wider than the wheel 7 in order that the channel cut by the share at one side of the ditch, will be sufficiently wide to accommodate the wheel 7 duringthe trip in the opposite direction, which is necessary in using the machine for back and forth movements as described.

The machine can be used for both ditching and terracing, and will operate efliciently with a considerable saving as compared with the manual labor usually required. The machine can also be used for cleaning ditches, inasmuch as it will remove any loose dirt from the ditch.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A ditching machine comprising an elevating Wheel having a rim, a flange at one side and blades between said flange and rim forming buckets open at the opposite side of the wheel and also opening inwardly toward the center of the wheel, a share at the lastnamed side of the wheel for deflecting dirt laterally into said buckets through the open sides thereof at the lower portion of the wheel, a dirt retaining plate extending upwardly from said share at the lastnamed side of the wheel across the open sides of the buckets for retaining the dirt in said buckets while being raised, a rotary table mounted for rotation at the lastnamed side of said wheel and extending within said wheel under the upper portion thereof, and a chute disposed between said table and said flange under the upper portion of the wheel for closing the space between said table and flange under the uppermost buckets.

2. A ditching machine comprising a frame having front and rear rigid depending portions, an elevating wheel to roll in the ditch and having buckets, a beam having one end coonected to one of said portions for vertical adjustment to different vertical positions, the other end of the beam having means engaging the other depending portion for guiding the beam for upward and downward swinging motion, a share secured to said beam betwen said portions and arranged for deflecting dirt into said buckets at one side of said wheel, and means connected to the beam for raising and lowering it.

3. A ditching machine comprising dirt elevating means, dirt delivering means arranged to receive the dirt from said elevating means and including a rotary table, a vertical shaft on which the table is rotatable, said shaft being fixed against rotation, and a deflector disposed on the table for deflecting the dirt therefrom and having means adjustably embracing said shaft for vertical and angular adjustment to raise and lower the deflector with reference to the table and to position the deflector at different angles.

4. A ditching machine comprising dirt elevating means, dirt delivering means arranged to receive the dirt from said elevating means and including a rotary table having a central cone, a Vertical shaft on which the table is rotatable, a deflector 0n the table for deflecting the dirt therefrom, 10 and a bracket carrying the deflector and engaging said sha'i't, said bra ltCt being formed to [it over the cone.

In testimony whereof I have signed in name to this specification.

0. H. ARNOLD, J. 

